In chesshe horse it has the same value as a bishop and is the equivalent of three pawns. This means that it is a piece of low esteem, below the rooks or the queen and, obviously, the king. However, its importance on the board is transcendental. It is the only member of the game that can move in two different directions in the same turn and, in addition, jump over others already established. Without the knights he can win a game, but it is more difficult to prevail over the opponent.
Similarly, a good chess strategy will always have the knight as a crucial part. in basketball there are players that would fit into this category, names that by themselves they would not be a dangerbut that within a large-scale plan become elements that make success possible.
Denver Nuggets has one and it’s called Aaron Gordon.
During most of his career, Gordon was a player who was defined by being indefinable. In Orlando Magic they never quite knew how to use it and take advantage of it. As a scorer he never particularly stood out. Relegating him to a creator role was too daring. And reduce it to a 3&D, a waste.
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In 2021, the Nuggets were determined to get a transfer for him. Aaron Gordon would soon be out of contract and his lofty claims did not fit with the Orlando project, so they agreed to a trade that included a youngster with potential at the time (RJ Hampton), a veteran with great importance in Denver (Gary Harris) and a First Round of 2025. The move was viewed with some skepticism by a large part of the experts, who doubted its value and, above all, its possible fit.
Time ended up proving the Nuggets right. They had found the missing piece.
Aaron Gordon’s profile makes he perfect man to place next to Nikola Jokic for several reasons.
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First of all, for your defensive versatility. The Serbian is far from being the hole in defense at the beginning of his career, but he needs to be covered on certain occasions so as not to be exposed or heavily penalized against some opponents. In this sense, the Californian player gives Michael Malone the possibility of be measured at estrella rival night after night while protecting the king of this particular game of chess.
Secondly, due to his repeated refusal to be the protagonist in attack. This is not that he refuses to receive the ball or take individual actions, but rather that he assumes that the only way to win is through blend into the offensive system. Something that happens by moving without the ball, opening the field and waiting for your opportunity. To add a fact that illustrates this statement: according to Instamong all the players with more than 150 basket cuts in the entire league (Regular Phase and Playoffs), Gordon is the one who has had the highest success rate, with 81.8% accuracy. Next on the list? Evan Mobile. with 75.7%.
The presence of Aaron Gordon It is a condition of possibility for the Nuggets to end up leaving champions of these Finals. And the most tangible proof of this occurred in the first game of the series, in which the player limited until almost completely emptying Jimmy Butler.
The Californian took on the challenge of pairing up with the best player from the opposing team from the outset and, so far, has left excellent feelings:
| Attacker | Possessions | Points | Success |
| Kevin Durant | 230 | 69 | 26 of 68 (38.2%) |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 137 | 27 | 10 of 27 (37%) |
| LeBron James | 132 | 25 | 12 of 20 (60%) |
| Jimmy Butler | 67 | 13 | 5 of 9 (55.6%) |
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Have a generational talent like Jokic it is not a guarantee that success will come. In fact, the usual thing is that the opposite happens: that a great player is left without achieving glory because he does not have the right accompaniment. The Denver Nuggets were patient, hoping that Jamal Murray come back, and they trusted their potential as a second sword and free verse when they could easily have looked for another star. From the management the path was always clear and they went in search of players who fit around the Serbian and not the other way around. All this with a very defined goal and philosophy.
The bet on Gordon was a winning move. Because with him they secured a piece with which to play against the other rivals. If before his lack of definition was a deficiency, now it is a virtue, since it guarantees Denver versatility, balance and, above all, security.
Jokic is the computer that organizes the tasks in the Denver scheme like the real rey of the board. Jamal Murray amplifies the chances of winning thanks to its status as an offensive supernova making agitate. The rest are interspersed in roles similar to those rooks, bishops and brave pawns that support the group. In this particular game, Aaron Gordon is the horse that goes over all the enemy lines and it becomes a headache for the adversary.
Over the course of these Playoffs, Gordon is the player who greater impact statistician has had within Denver’s usual rotation. In the more than 600 minutes played, he treasures a +10.1 of net rating, his offensive (120.5) and defensive (110.4) efficiency being as spectacular. Although it is more striking if you observe what happens when he is not on the floor, since the Nuggets have their worst data when he does not play, signing a -4.1 net ratio, the only member of the team along with Jokic ( -0.4) in negative parameters.
As the piece he represents on this board, Aaron Gordon will almost certainly not receive the same praise as the two stars on the roster. It may even be that there are other teammates who end up having better offensive numbers, which is finally what ends up transcending the vision of the general public. What’s more: it’s likely that he isn’t hitting the hoop (he averages 34.6% on 3-pointers in catch&shoot).
What seems clear is that Michael Malone will not be able to make any winning move, that is, a checkmate, to Erik Spoelstra if he does not have Gordon, his particular horse in this game of chess. The success of the Nuggets in the Finals will depend to a large extent on its good (or bad) use. There are five possible moves left to make, but a million chances to materialize them on the board.
The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of the NBA or its organizations.
2023-06-07 10:00:04
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